The Asia Conference on Church and Mission 2026 (ACCM 2026) officially opened on June 9 at GCF South Metro in Alabang, Metro Manila, bringing together approximately 210 delegates from 25 nations across Asia. Organized by the Asia Evangelical Alliance (AEA), this year's conference is held under the theme "Disciple or Die 3.0", and the rallying prayer drawn from Habakkuk 3:2: "Lord, I stand in awe of Your deeds. Renew Your work in these years."
Church leaders, pastors, and evangelical alliance representatives gathered to address what organizers described as one of the most urgent challenges facing the Asian church: the need to recover intentional disciple-making as the heart of Christian mission.
Returning to the Great Commission
Opening the conference, Godfrey Yogarajah, chairman of the AEA and chairman of the International Council of the World Evangelical Alliance (WEA), urged participants to reflect on the church's primary calling.
"We are the largest continent on earth, home to over four billions people, and yet vast areas of Asia have never heard the name of Jesus Christ," he said. "Not because we lack resources… but because somewhere along the way the church stopped making disciples and started making attendance."
Referring to the conference theme, Yogarajah emphasized that disciple-making is not one ministry among many, but the central command of Christ.
"A church that does not make disciples is not a healthy church—it is a dying church."
He presented AEA's vision for 2033, which includes seeing 50 percent of national evangelical alliances become disciple-making alliances, 40 percent of denominations become disciple-making denominations, 30 percent of local churches become disciple-making churches, and at least 20 percent of adult believers actively discipling others.
Welcoming delegates on behalf of the host nation, Bishop Noel Pantoja, national director of the Philippine Council of Evangelical Churches (PCEC), spoke against the backdrop of recent challenges facing the Philippines, including a major earthquake in Mindanao.
He called on participants to remember the church's responsibility amid social, political, and humanitarian crises.
"If we miss the Lord's design and purpose for the church, we risk losing hope for the world."
Describing the conference theme as a necessary wake-up call, Pantoja added: "Our call is clear: Disciple or Die."
He expressed hope that the gathering would strengthen unity among Asian churches and produce practical outcomes for advancing the gospel throughout the region.
Discipleship in Community
In the conference's address, Botrus Mansour, secretary general of the WEA, reflected on the biblical model of discipleship and the challenges facing churches today.
Pointing to rising secularism, technological disruption, conflict, and social change, Mansour argued that disciple-making remains the church's most important response.
"If we lose discipleship, we lose the center of our mission."
He emphasized that discipleship is not merely an individual pursuit but a communal process rooted in relationships.
"Discipleship is done in a community."
Drawing from the rabbinic traditions of Jesus' day, Mansour noted that disciples learned not only through instruction but by closely observing and imitating their teacher's life.
Mansour noted that in the Jewish tradition, the goal of discipleship was not merely to learn a rabbi's teachings but to become like the rabbi himself.
He encouraged churches to cultivate authentic fellowship and spiritual mentoring relationships where believers can grow together and help one another follow Christ more faithfully.
Repenting of the "Great Omission"
Another message was delivered by Bishop Efraim Tendero, global ambassador of the WEA.
Using examples of historic churches in Europe that have become mosques and former church buildings in the United States that have been converted into homes, businesses, and restaurants, Tendero warned of the consequences of neglecting disciple-making.
"Why did these churches die? Because they did not disciple."
He argued that the modern church has often failed to equip believers for ministry, describing this failure as the church's "Great Omission."
"We failed to equip believers for the work of ministry."
Tendero challenged church leaders to return to Christ's original mandate.
"Disciple-making is not one of Jesus' strategies—it is the only strategy he gave."
He further stressed the need for dependence on the Holy Spirit, calling participants to seek spiritual renewal and revival.
"We need a fresh revival of the power of the Holy Spirit."
From Vision to Action
AEA General Secretary Dr. Bambang Budijanto explained that ACCM 2026 is designed to move beyond theory and focus on practical implementation.
Reflecting on nearly a decade of discussions on discipleship within the AEA, Budijanto said the conference would concentrate on identifying concrete actions that churches, denominations, seminaries, and evangelical alliances can take in the coming years.
Budijanto said the conference would focus on practical implementation rather than theory, emphasizing "action, action, and action."
Throughout the conference, participants will engage in plenary sessions, panel discussions, and workshops exploring key questions of where, when, why, what, how, and who in disciple-making. Organizers hope the gathering will produce a network of committed leaders who can champion disciple-making movements across Asia.
Closing the opening session, Rev. Dr. Lito Villoria, senior pastor of Greenhills Christian Fellowship (GCF) South Metro, welcomed delegates and expressed the host church's desire to serve the wider body of Christ.
He prayed that participants would leave the conference not merely informed, but transformed.
"Our hope is that we will not only leave this place informed, but transformed as we experience God's presence and the power of the Holy Spirit at work in this conference."
As ACCM 2026 continues over the coming days, delegates will explore strategies for cultivating disciple-making churches and movements throughout Asia. Organizers hope the conference will serve as a significant milestone toward realizing the AEA's vision of a renewed disciple-making movement across the continent by 2033.
